Dan Cole (rugby union)

Dan Cole
Argentina vs England at 2011 Rugby World Cup
Full name Daniel Cole
Date of birth 9 May 1987 (1987-05-09) (age 24)
Place of birth Leicester, England
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 115 kg (18 st 2 lb) [1]
School Robert Smyth School
Q.E
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Prop
Youth clubs
South Leicester RFC
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2007 – Leicester Tigers 20 (5)
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2009 –
2010 –
England Saxons
England
4
23
(0)
(5)

Dan Cole (born 9 May 1987 in Leicester) is an English rugby union player who plays at prop for Leicester Tigers in the Aviva Premiership.

Contents

Club career

Cole's first team début came in the October 2007 EDF Energy Cup pool match against Bath. Most of the 2007–08 season was spent on loan to Bedford Blues and it was the beginning of the 2008–09 season before Cole played for the first team again. Cole was involved in most of the games in the first half of the season.[2] In January 2009, Cole was loaned to Nottingham R.F.C.[3] Cole played in the final of the 2008–09 Guinness Premiership.[4]

Through injury to Leicester tight-heads Julian White and Martin Castrogiovanni, Cole achieved a run of games during the 2009–10 season which saw him gain notoriety as man-of-the-match against London Wasps.[5] In February 2010, Cole signed a new contract.[6]

The Tigers went on to win the 2009-10 Guinness Premiership final 33–27 against Saracens, where Cole came on as a replacement for Castrogiovanni.[7]

International career

Having played for England at under-18, under-19 and under-20[2] Cole was selected in January 2009 to make his debut for the England Saxons, against Portugal.[8]

Cole started in all three games at the 2009 Churchill Cup, including the final against Ireland A.[9]

He was promoted to the Senior Squad for the 2010 Six Nations Championship as injury cover for Tigers squadmate Julian White[10] and made his senior England debut as a replacement for Dave Wilson in England's 30–17 win over Wales on 6 February 2010.[11] He played in all subsequent games in the 2010 Six Nations, even scoring his first international try in what was also his first home start against Ireland,[12] and began to cement his place as England's first-choice tighthead.

He was taken on the summer tour to Australia, and played in both matches. Although England lost the first game,[13] Cole put in a strong performance which saw the England scrum gain an unprecedented two penalty tries. The following Test saw England beat Australia 20–21.[14] Cole had a cut to the head within the first five minutes of the game, and needed to be continually substituted for blood injury, but pressed on, despite his left eye closing up almost completely. Captain and Tigers team-mate Lewis Moody commented on how the team were inspired by Cole's perseverance.[15]

References

  1. ^ "RFU Official Site of the RFU, Governing Body of Rugby Union in England". web page. RFU. http://www.rfu.com/SquadsAndPlayers/EnglandElite/Dan%20Cole.aspx. Retrieved 23 August 2011. 
  2. ^ a b "Tigers Squad – Dan Cole". Leicester Tigers. http://www.leicestertigers.com/squad/players.php?player=33339&includeref=dynamic. Retrieved 2009-02-01. 
  3. ^ "Cole and Youngs on Loan". Nottingham RFC. 2009-01-09. http://www.nottinghamrugby.co.uk/News-and-Events/NR/Cole-and-Youngs-on-Loan/2009-01-09. Retrieved 2009-02-01. 
  4. ^ "Leicester 10–9 London Irish". BBC Sport. 2009-05-16. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/8048413.stm. Retrieved 2010-02-03. 
  5. ^ "Leicester 34–8 Wasps". BBC Sport. 2010-01-09. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8440912.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-25. 
  6. ^ "England trio secure new Leicester Tigers deals". BBC Sport. 2010-02-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/leicester/8491264.stm. Retrieved 2010-02-03. 
  7. ^ Foy, Chris (31 May 2010). "Tigers pounce to give Lewis Moody a victorious send off". London: Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-1282635/Leicester-33-Saracens-27-Tigers-pounce-Lewis-Moody-victorious-send-off.html. 
  8. ^ "England Saxons 66–0 Portugal". BBC Sport. 2009-01-30. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/7862166.stm. Retrieved 2010-02-03. 
  9. ^ "Ireland A 49–22 England Saxons". BBC Sport. 2009-06-21. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8112050.stm. Retrieved 2010-02-03. 
  10. ^ "Senior England EPS Update". RFU Official site. 2010-01-25. http://www.rfu.com/News/2010/January/News%20Articles/250110_Revised_EPS?a=1&y=2010. Retrieved 2010-01-25. 
  11. ^ "England 30–17 Wales". BBC Sport. 2010-02-06. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8499147.stm. Retrieved 2010-02-06. 
  12. ^ Rees, Paul (27 February 2010). "Tommy Bowe's try for Ireland ends England's grand slam hopes". London: Guardian Sport. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/feb/27/england-ireland-match-report. 
  13. ^ "Australia 27 – 17 England". BBC Sport. 12 June 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8734071.stm. 
  14. ^ "Australia 20 – 21 England". BBC Sport. 19 June 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/8748378.stm. 
  15. ^ Moody, Lewis (19 June 2010). "How one-eyed Dan Cole inspired us by toughing it out". London: Mail Online. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-1288039/Lewis-Moody-How-eyed-Dan-Cole-inspired-toughing-out.html. 

External links